I was a controller of a medical clinic for a number of years

[Douglas Carpenter]

23. And the U.S. still ranks # 37 in the world in healthcare at roughly double the cost

Last edited Tue Dec 22, 2015, 08:45 AM - Edit history (1)

What are some other countries doing right that we are doing wrong?

I personally would prefer a public healthcare system like the UK, Sweden or France to a fee-for service single payer approach such as "Medicare For All" or even the Canadian system - since that would be the most conceivable way I can imagine to get cost under control.

To me single-payer would be almost the equivalent of the voucher system for education as opposed to a public school system.

But one thing is for sure - other systems elsewhere whether comprehensive socialized public healthcare or fee-for service - single-payer - especially in the developed world are providing healthcare for everyone at a much lower cost than what the U.S. is doing.

This has now turned personal for me. I have insurance and I have savings and I have lived most of my adult life as a responsible middle class citizen - I am also a healthcare worker, a Respiratory Therapist. But I am now 61 and I also have Esophageal and upper Gastric Cancer that is metastasized and malignant. If I don't either get better or die soon - I will or could likely face almost total financial ruin in spite of my good comprehensive Aetna Insurance and what savings I have that I have worked all my life for. And yes, I am bitter about it! - I'm not going to waist any energy feeling sorry for myself though. Because I am better off and in a better position than many - if not most Americans in a similar situation. If I was British or Swedish or French or Canadian - I would still be sick - possibly terminally - but I would not have to worry about all that I worked and saved for going down the drain.

Every time someone makes a strong proposal for something that might actually work - we get hit with a combination of a litany of lies about healthcare in other Western democracies or the "sensible centers" wisdom - "Now is not the time - wait till later." They were saying that 50 years ago. Just how fucking long do we have to wait to behave and act live a civilized society that takes care of sick people?